‘Dry day’ on May 23

Incorrect media reports create panic situation: official

The city Corporation will observe May 23 as a ‘Dry day,’ during which anti-dengue activities, including awareness campaigns, will be held across the hundred wards in the city.

Employees from the health sector, nursing students, and Kudumbasree volunteers will be deployed along with the Corporation’s own staff for these activities.

These were part of the decisions taken on Saturday following a meeting the Mayor held with representatives from hospitals, health centres, and nursing centres in the city to discuss steps to be taken to bring the dengue fever outbreak under control.

The local body has also conducted meetings with representatives of residents’ associations, during which it has been decided to destroy mosquito sources on all household premises, including houses that are locked.

Such activities will also be taken up in camps of migrant workers. As part of the awareness campaign, posters and pamphlets will be distributed and slides will be displayed during the interval in cinemas.

Clean-up campaign

On May 28, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will participate in a clean-up campaign that will be held across the wards.

Waste-dumping sites will be cleared. The campaign will go on till June 5. Drains will be cleaned as part of pre-monsoon clean-up activities.

The District Programme Officer of the National Rural Health Mission said that 95% of the recent spate of fever has been caused by mosquito breeding inside the house. It can be controlled only by a behavioural change in people.

The Corporation’s Health Officer Sasikumar said that only 350 cases of dengue had been recorded in the Corporation area. A panic situation has been created by incorrect reports in the media, he said.

Mayor V.K. Prashanth and Corporation officials on Saturday visited the Konkalam area, from where dengue cases have been reported. Preventive medicines were distributed during the home visits. Fogging operations and awareness campaigns were held.

24-hour clinic

Health Minister K.K. Shylaja has given directions to the officials concerned to open special dengue clinics and wards in hospitals in areas where a large number of dengue cases has been reported.

A 24-hour dengue clinic will soon be opened at the Government Medical College Hospital. In the casualty, the various tests, including those for platelet count, will be provided free of cost.